Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1887-03-12
REV. DIR. TALMAGE.
Sermon February 9th. 1857.
Subject: ".1ne Swe7l.ny of Jordan.

Sermon February 2Itn. 1854.
Subject: "1ne Sweltny of Jordan.
TEXT:-"If thou hast run will
the footman, and they have wea-
ried thee, then how canst thou con.
tend with horses? and ifin the land
ofpcace, wherein thontrustrd stthey
wearied thee, then how will thon
do in the swelling of Jorlan?"-
Jeremiah, chapter -. V, 5: The ell
oQnent preacher said:
jeremiah had become impatient
with his tronhlps. God says to him:
Ifyon cannot stand these small trials
and prosecutions, what are you go.
ing to do when the. greater trials
and prosecutions comet IF you
have been running a race will
footmen and they have beaten,yon,
han eesJ gIlsWIll
utTins GoTs Aid sttheii tIIcs6S;s;
IRE lis chan ged. Ynils IN Ws;Sssiifl
April and May, the Jordan over
flows its banks, andthe waters rush
Violently on, sweeping everything
before them. And God says to the
prophet: sIfyou are overcome with
smaller trials and veXations which
3 have assaulted you, what will yon
do when the trials and ;unnoyancps
and prosecutions of life come III a
freshet?" III in the land Of peace
wherein thou iruStedst, they wear
led thee, then how wilt thou do in
the swelling of Jordan9'
propose, il God will help me, in
a very practical way to asll-if it
is such il difficult thing to get along
without the religion of Jesus Christ,
when things are comparatively
smooth, what will we do without
Christ amid the ovcrpowerng mis-
fortunes and disasters of life that
may come upon uSF Ii troubles
slow as lootmen, surpaSs us, what
will we do when they take the feet
of horses! and If now in our lifetime
we are beaten back and submerg-
ed of sorrows because we have not
the religion Of Jesus to comfort US,
what will we do when we stand in
death, and We feel all around about
us "thc swelling OF Jordana" The
fact that you have come here, my
5 brother. nv sister. shows that you
have some things you believe III
common with yourself. You believe
that there is Il G ID.
There is not an Atheist in all
this house. | do not believe that
there ever was a real Atheist i'll all
the world. Napoleon was onasllip's
deck bound for Egypt. 1t was a
bright starry night, and a, he pac-
ed the deck, thinking Of the great
affairs of tile State and Of battle. he
heard two men on the deck in con
yersation alb mt God; Que saying
there was IL God and the other say
ing there WAS none. Napoleon stop
ped and looked upzat. the starry
heavens, and then he turned TO
these men in conversation aud said:
"Gentlemen, heard one ofyou shy
there is no God; if there is no Col,
will you feline who made all thatY"
Aye, if you had not been persuaded
of it before, yon are persuaded OF
it now; for tile shining heavens de-
clare the glory of God, and the
earth showetl his handiwork. But
you believe more than that; you
believe that there was Jesus; you
believe that there WAS a cross; you
believe that you have al immortal
soul; you believe that it mast be re-
generated by the spirit OF God or
You can never dwell in bliss eter-
nal. I think a great many OF you
will say that you believe it is I'M
portant to have the religion of Je-
sus Christ every day of our life, to
smooth our tempers and purify Our
minds, and hold us lmperturbable
amid all the annoyances and vcxa-
lions of life. You and have seen
so many men trawpled down by
misfortunes because they had no
faith in Jesus, and you say to yoar,
self: Ii they we're so easily over.
come by the trials Of life, what will
it be when greater misfortunes
come upon them-heart-brea
caamities, tremendous grefsf'-
Gu, il we have no God to comfort
us when our fortune goes, and we
look upon the graves Of our chill
dreu, and our houses are desolate,
what will become OF use What Il
sad thing it is to see men all ull-
helped Of God, going out to fight
giants of trouble; no closet of pray
er in which to retreat, no PROMISE
of mercy to soothe the soul, no rock
of refuge in which to hide from the
blast. Oh when the swift coursers
Of trouble are brought, champlng
and painting for the race, and tue
reins are thrown upon Uheir neck,
and the latIlcred TANKS at every
spring feel the stroke Of the lash,
What can we do on foot with tiem'
How can we compete with thems-
If, having run with the footmen,
they wearied us, how can we con-
tend with horses?
We have all yielded to tempta-
ton. We have been surprised al
forwards that so small an induce
ment could have decoyed us from
the right. How Insignificant a
temptation has sometimes captured
our soul! And If that is sonny dear
brother, what will it be when we
come to stand in the presence OF